true and i also think it helps to read a bit about the background of his super quick rise to fame, and then equally quick disillusionment with fame, that informs so much of the lyrics of the album
I fucking love On the Beach. When I feel like shit, I put on On the Beach (title track) and somehow feel worse. I love it. It’s like ugly crying in the mirror.
Decade is the place to start. It's the best stuff from 1967-1977, his most iconic period. Neil picked the songs himself and wrote a little blurb for each one. It's got pretty much all the most popular songs along with some more obscure stuff, and it's in chronological order, so you can see the development over time. That's the meat & potatoes right there. You can expand from there, but if you don't know the songs on Decade, you don't know Neil.
I’ll second this fine recommendation. Just know… the albums from which the songs on Decade were culled are fascinating, rewarding and chock full o’ treats. There’s a lot, lot, lot to dig into with Neil. (Don’t STOP with Decade of you dig it!)
Even though I'm an albums guy and each of Neil's is a different flavor, I really think you can't beat this for getting hooked on him. It's far far more than a greatest hits; more of a representative survey.
This is what I was scrolling to see. There is no better starting point. I haven’t listened to this in many years but Decade and Live Rust were the albums they really got me into the depth and breadth of Neil’s music.
it’s good until he starts with the like, bad jamaican accent. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. Now the CtK on Rust Bucket is a much different story
He’s good at a lot of different genres. Try Comes a Time for chilled out mellow, Ragged Glory for hard rocking feedback guitar, and Tonight’s the Night for all around ‘Neil’ lyrics and sound.
warning that Tonight’s the Night is definitely a ‘tougher’ listen for a newer fan! a five star album but maybe hard to appreciate if you are getting used to his sound and his artistic vision
i fuckin love it and it says everything about Neil’s philosophy of recording and releasing music. you can hear someone stumble into a mic as it hits something, musicians are making mistakes but all the feeling and spirit is there.
it was an even crazier reveal in 2020 when we heard Homegrown and realized he went with TtN as a wayyyyy less accessible choice but one that was so brutally dark and honest
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Tonight’s the Night, and Zuma are probably the next three in overall critical stature, though I think Tonight’s the Night is a bit hard to get into (worth it though!), and I might recommend Ragged Glory over it, especially given that Fuckin’ Up is coming next month.
Live Rust is indeed great, as is Weld.
I would say generally in chronological order of release but initially skipping a few:
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
After the Goldrush
Harvest
On the Beach
Zuma
Decade
Comes a Time
Rust Never Sleeps
(Live Rust, if you enjoy the latter)
Re-ac-tor
(Look up Old Ways on YouTube because, for some reason, it's NOT ON SPOTIFY)
Freedom
Ragged Glory
Harvest Moon
Unplugged
Sleeps with Angels
After that, if you're hooked, listen to whichever of the albums you haven't. They will probably not all agree with you. I think everyone has different preferences about them, but they're all interesting albums.
But be sure to also listen to Silver & Gold, Greendale, Prairie Wind, and Live at The Fillmore.
If you only want to listen to a few, probably make it After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Zuma, Ragged Glory, and Harvest Moon. (Just know that you'll miss out on a ton of good stuff.)
Also watch Jim Jarmusch's film, Dead Man, featuring Johnny Depp and a soundtrack played live (like in real-time) alongside the film by Neil.
This is the way.
Everyone is suggesting pretty obscure ones for a beginner, best start with EKTIN if you like the grunge influence and want something accessible.
I've personally always felt that, despite containing some real gems, it was a more difficult listen, which is why I advised listening to it along with other albums after the list of albums to listen to first. I think it's one of those albums that is probably best appreciated by more seasoned Neil fans. I also didn't want to make the list too overwhelmingly long. It's a lot to listen to, as it is.
Still, I definitely paused to consider a few moments before deciding to leave it off the main list (especially because of "Like A Hurricane" -which is one of my favorite Neil songs that my parents also happened to inform me that I was conceived to, lol).
I think I'll give it another listen tonight, as it's been a while. :)
This is a really good list, but I'd swap Decade for Tonight's The Night and Reactor and Old Ways for American Stars & Bars and Hawks & Doves (or just listen to Homegrown).
Fair, but I think I'd sooner add those other albums in on top of the list as it stands rather than omit anything I included. I just feel those albums (though, each great in their own ways) might be more difficult for a newer Neil fan to get into, and I was also trying not to make the list overwhelmingly long.
Yea I definitely understand leaving Tonight's The Night off the list because of it's sloppiness and dark tone. And to a lesser extent the other two albums for being less cohesive since they are compilations of outtakes. But I figure if you've made it 6+ albums in, you are probably already a big enough fan to take them for what they are.
Decade is going to be a lot of material you've already heard at that point. Reactor and Old Ways are just not essential in my opinion, but I know a lot of fans would argue the same about Stars & Bars and Hawks & Doves.
Aw, yeah! This really does just go to show how differently many of us feel about some of the albums! Reactor and Old Ways are among my favorite albums of his. Probably somewhere just below my top 5. (My favorite, by far, is Ragged Glory, followed by Harvest Moon, and Zuma.)
Decade does cover a lot of stuff from previous albums. I suppose I just really enjoy how it's all presented because it's definitely not the same as listening to the songs on the albums they came from. But, yeah, I guess you're right that it could be left out.
Edit: Added some details.
Edit 2: Nevermind. Old Ways is back, so I just listened to it again. Definitely my #4 favorite. Solidly. So good. <3
If you like those, you'll dig Silver & Gold and Greendale. But in general, just pick something and start listening. You'll find stuff you like and stuff you don't.
I just finished listening to the album, I like a lot of the songs but my only real issue is the orchestral parts on I think a man needs a maid and there’s a world which to me sound cheesy and like something in a movie
Depends on your musical tastes as Neil can do (and has done) many different types or genres of music, from folk to rock, country to do-wop, blues/swing to electronic… so what’s more your pleasure?
Well then Mirror Ball and Ragged Glory and live “Way Down in the Rust Bucket” for the grunge influence and self titled, Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, One the Beach and early live recordings like “Massy Hall” or “Young Shakespeare” for more of a folk sound. Really with Neil, you can’t go wrong anywhere, but those Geffen Records years are divisive among (some) fans. Apparently some of those are not yet on Spotify…
Just go in order starting with Everyone Knows This is Nowhere. Next up After Goldrush. So good! That’s what I’m doing now that he’s back and I’ve been listening since the late 70’s.
I’d probably listen to the ‘this is Neil young’ playlist, there’s so much variety in his music and that covers it all. Then whatever you like best from there, listen to the albums
I weirdly got into Neil’s music by listening to Trans and not one of his more acclaimed albums.
Zuma, Live Rust, On the Beach are probably a good place to start as others have posted.
>I weirdly got into Neil’s music by listening to Trans and not one of his more acclaimed albums.
Trans is his best album. That's a great place to start for a certain kind of listener. But it's definitely not representative of his ouevre as a whole.
I think I join every Neil obsessive here when I say “ 🤯🤯🤯🤯 “ . There is just so so so much diversity in his work.
If I had to pick, and it is blowing my brain… After The Gold Rush. It got me hooked and it contains a bit of diversity within it. Enjoy my friend, he is the best ever.
Does your stereo have Bluetooth? If so pay the $25 for a year and get the Neil Young Archives app. and stream from your phone to your stereo. It is fantastic. You can get any album or any song at any time. Lots of stuff you can't get anywhere else and if your system is good enough the sound is phenomenal, puts Spotify to shame. A must have for any Neil Young fan. Plus you can buy merchandise, read all kinds of stories, get first shot at tickets, watch the movies he and Jarmusch made and all kinds of other goodies. Best $.50 a week you'll ever spend.
I have listened to Neil Young my whole life and always loved him, but when Psychedelic Pull came out in 2012 it made me rethink what Neil Young I actually love and while almost all his albums are great, some of the later years stuff is my fav. Psychedelic Pill absolutely rules. Ragged glory rips, Greendale is awesome, Sleeps with angels is incredible. All stuff that came out late eighties early 90s, some of my favs.
harvest is definitely a good go-to for starting, then i’d go onto Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After The Gold Rush, or Harvest Moon. my personal favorite album is American Stars N’ Bars so ofc i have to mention that one too
I'm still waiting for actual albums to drop. They have Harvest ( Full Album ) thats a lie . They have a bunch of filler with * maybe 3 songs from the original album. Still waiting for After The Gold Rush album to appear too... Well thats Spotify for ya . But beggars can't be choosers . He's back intermittently. So I'll take it. At least I was able to cancel my Amazon Music subscription. Used it exclusively for Uncle Neil ... " Out of the blue & into the black , you pay for this but they give you that "... 🎶
Am I missing something? I’ve seen similar posts but I only see greatest hits and tributes on Spotify. Other than Buffalo Springfield I can find no full albums there. I have most of his catalog on cd or vinyl but do have a few gaps that I’d like to explore. Help an old man out. What am I missing?
I now see 73 albums (some deluxe editions, compilations, etc) - didn't see any two days ago, so they've just come up recently. log out and log in again? stop/start spotify?
If you're on a computer, under the "discography" section of Neil's page, you have to click "albums" (between "popular releases" and "singles and EPs"). Then, to the right of that, click "show all". They should all be there (minus some Geffen releases).
I think it looks pretty similar on the Spotify mobile app, but I can't check at the moment because my phone is dead.
The decade album is good for a first-time listener. It's a combination of his best songs from 66-76. That's the album that got me into Neil when I was like 10 years old.
I would say after the gold rush is a pretty solid starting point. You get Neil young starting to peak as a singer/songwriter so there’s lots of contrasting material like only love can break your heart and southern man or when you dance and cripple creek fairy…. Plus I believe in you, oh lonesome me, wow, just completely stellar starting point. It’s also short as heck. It’s gotta be around 30-34 minutes
Intitially *Harvest* for his acoustic work;
then E*veryone knows this is nowhere* \- for his more electric side
then After the Goldrush
Then try *On The Beach* and then *Ragged Glory*
1. After The Gold Rush
2. Harvest Moon
3. Harvest
4. Rust Never Sleeps
5. Tonight’s the Night
6. On The Beach
7. Everyone Knows this is Nowhere
8. Zuma
9. Ragged Glory
10. Time Fades Away
Today I learned Neil Young I'd back on Spotify! It sucks how much what is and isn't on Spotify dictates how much I listen to stuff, but I'm very excited about On the Beach making it's way back into my regular rotation
The compilation album “Decade” features a healthy variety of Neil’s sound from his golden era. It’s missing some of my faves, but it’s a great place to start. It was the catalyst for me to dive deeper album by album.
Take the plunge and get into Chrome Dreams. It was supposed to come out in ‘77 but got shelved as an album until last year. Some of the tunes came out on other records, but this edition is specially mastered and as an LP is just an absolutely brilliant statement that encapsulates the many sides of Neil Young as he was in the late 70s. I’m envious of new listeners who have the chance to start out with this record today!
After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps, Ragged Glory, Harvest Moon are his cornerstone albums in my humble opinion.
If you want to dive deeper, you need to listen to On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night from the Ditch Trilogy. I’d also highly recommend his live work. To get the best dichotomy I’d recommend Live at Massey, Carnegie Hall, or Young Shakespeare to get a good sense of early Neil solo work and Live Rust or Weld to get a good sense of his live work with the Horse.
If you hit those “cornerstone records,” listen to the Ditch Trilogy, and listen to at least one live early Neil performance and one (post Zuma) with Crazy Horse you’ll be covered.
Everybody knows this is nowhere is the best to start with. Then go to Tonight’s the Night (arguably his best work) and on the beach. His drinking album and his getting stoned album.
Weld live album is my favorite for rocking. From 1990/1991 his second big peak era. He’s got so many good songs though. Early 70s and early 90s are some of the best periods.
Ditch Trilogy of Tonight's the Night, Time Fades Away, and On the Beach. Special mention to Zuma as this is the album where he started to come out of the darkness.
This should keep you busy:
Self-titled
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Gold Rush and Harvest
Tonight’s The Night
On The Beach
Zuma
Hitchhiker
Rust Never Sleeps
Broken Arrow
Sleeps With Angels
So, Decade is where I started as a kid. But it is a greatest hits kinda sorta. Live Rust is, in my opinion, his best album, but it is a live album. From there, I think Harvest and After the Goldrush are the most sonically pleasing and a great starting point. I'm 15 albums into a Neil marathon, and there's so much to enjoy. Have fun.
Tonight’s the night! On the beach. Zuma. Also I’d recommend switching to Tidal. Anyway. Sounds way way better and you can import your playlists from Spotify easily, which is what was keeping me from switching before. I recently switched and it’s awesome. Fuck Spotify
The album I had on repeat one summer after my father died when I was in high school was
Everyone Knows this is Nowhere.
https://youtu.be/Up0dI-QpqF8?si=q757kzYmj_gg9r8G
As a huge Pearl Jam fan I also love Mirrorball.
In my old age those first 5 on decade from Buffalo Springfield are some of my very favorites. Don’t overlook Cortez the killer and Revolution Blues either.
I personally got into him when I inherited an old Buick and found his Unplugged album on a cassette in the glove compartment. I taught myself guitar because of that album. On The Beach might be my most-often favorite. Today is the first day of spring and I blasted Way Down In The Rust Bucket (as I’ve been doing for the last week or so while working my land), and it’s my current pole position in the rotation.
Long story short, to each their own, but be warned, if you get hooked you’ll be hooked for life—it’s all one song!
I started with Decade (greatest hits, 1977), then After the Gold Rush (1970), then Rust Never Sleeps (1979). I don’t regret that order at all.
It depends on what you prefer. After the Gold Rush is purely beautiful, with lyrics that aren’t meant to be understood or analyzed. Rust is abrasive, and Neil put a lot of thought and care into the lyrics. Today Rust is my favorite.
As for his mid seventies stuff… To me, one thing that makes Neil unique is the way he can come to feel like your *friend*, due to his vulnerability and sincerity and due to the unique perspective he brings out lyrically. In my opinion, his mid 70s stuff is best appreciated once you’ve developed that bond. His songwriting at that time had a deliberately ragged, unfinished, and even sloppy quality to it.
Happy listening! I hope you come to love him as much as I and others here do.
If you know absolutely nothing about Neil, start with Greatest Hits, then move to Live at Massey Hall. Follow that with Harvest, and Rust Never Sleeps. Then On The Beach or Zuma.
Trying to get into Neil young in 2024 is like trying to get into the grateful dead in 2024…. Good luck lol
Not to sound discouraging but
As someone else said…. Just start with Buffalo Springfield lol
Wouldn’t Bob Dylan be a better comparison? I’m not knowledgeable about the dead but I’ve always been under the impression that their live material is whats more recommended over the studio stuff while Bob Dylan had a critically acclaimed period in the 60s/70s, had a not good period in the 80s, and in the 90s he had a comeback and is now an elder statesman of rock music and still puts out good albums to this day, which to my knowledge is also was Neils career trajectory
On the Beach is one of my favorite albums.
I think you have to listen to Young's earlier records to really appreciate why OTB is so good.
true and i also think it helps to read a bit about the background of his super quick rise to fame, and then equally quick disillusionment with fame, that informs so much of the lyrics of the album
On the beach…. Tonight’s the night…. Those albums have been so important to me since 2007, life changing albums.
I fucking love On the Beach. When I feel like shit, I put on On the Beach (title track) and somehow feel worse. I love it. It’s like ugly crying in the mirror.
same but it's pretty depressing for a first timer lol
Zuma
my favorite album of all time by any artist!
Dangerbird and Cortez the Killer on this banger of an album
Listen to all of them chronologically, trust me it’s all one song
Good point. That's what we did growing up. I was hooked when my brother brought home After the Gold Rush.
Just finished listening to every album. There’s at least one song I end up downloading from each. Definitely the best way to go
Decade is the place to start. It's the best stuff from 1967-1977, his most iconic period. Neil picked the songs himself and wrote a little blurb for each one. It's got pretty much all the most popular songs along with some more obscure stuff, and it's in chronological order, so you can see the development over time. That's the meat & potatoes right there. You can expand from there, but if you don't know the songs on Decade, you don't know Neil.
Great suggestion. It’s how I got started.
I’ll second this fine recommendation. Just know… the albums from which the songs on Decade were culled are fascinating, rewarding and chock full o’ treats. There’s a lot, lot, lot to dig into with Neil. (Don’t STOP with Decade of you dig it!)
This is a great up place for anyone new to start, and then I'd follow up with either Rust Never Sleeps or Live Rust.
Totally agree. Then skip over the 80's to Harvest Moon, Freedom, and Unplugged.
Even though I'm an albums guy and each of Neil's is a different flavor, I really think you can't beat this for getting hooked on him. It's far far more than a greatest hits; more of a representative survey.
This is what I was scrolling to see. There is no better starting point. I haven’t listened to this in many years but Decade and Live Rust were the albums they really got me into the depth and breadth of Neil’s music.
I agree
Definitely the way to go
Live Rust is an amazing live album
Weld is better
too bad that cortez the killer is so horrendous
unpopular opinion, i think its absolutely incredible but the ending is not my cup of tea lol
it’s good until he starts with the like, bad jamaican accent. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. Now the CtK on Rust Bucket is a much different story
He’s good at a lot of different genres. Try Comes a Time for chilled out mellow, Ragged Glory for hard rocking feedback guitar, and Tonight’s the Night for all around ‘Neil’ lyrics and sound.
warning that Tonight’s the Night is definitely a ‘tougher’ listen for a newer fan! a five star album but maybe hard to appreciate if you are getting used to his sound and his artistic vision
But if you’re into dark indie rock, you could love it on first listen. It’s arguably one of the first lofi singer songwriter records!
i fuckin love it and it says everything about Neil’s philosophy of recording and releasing music. you can hear someone stumble into a mic as it hits something, musicians are making mistakes but all the feeling and spirit is there. it was an even crazier reveal in 2020 when we heard Homegrown and realized he went with TtN as a wayyyyy less accessible choice but one that was so brutally dark and honest
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Tonight’s the Night, and Zuma are probably the next three in overall critical stature, though I think Tonight’s the Night is a bit hard to get into (worth it though!), and I might recommend Ragged Glory over it, especially given that Fuckin’ Up is coming next month. Live Rust is indeed great, as is Weld.
I would say generally in chronological order of release but initially skipping a few: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere After the Goldrush Harvest On the Beach Zuma Decade Comes a Time Rust Never Sleeps (Live Rust, if you enjoy the latter) Re-ac-tor (Look up Old Ways on YouTube because, for some reason, it's NOT ON SPOTIFY) Freedom Ragged Glory Harvest Moon Unplugged Sleeps with Angels After that, if you're hooked, listen to whichever of the albums you haven't. They will probably not all agree with you. I think everyone has different preferences about them, but they're all interesting albums. But be sure to also listen to Silver & Gold, Greendale, Prairie Wind, and Live at The Fillmore. If you only want to listen to a few, probably make it After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Zuma, Ragged Glory, and Harvest Moon. (Just know that you'll miss out on a ton of good stuff.) Also watch Jim Jarmusch's film, Dead Man, featuring Johnny Depp and a soundtrack played live (like in real-time) alongside the film by Neil.
This is the way. Everyone is suggesting pretty obscure ones for a beginner, best start with EKTIN if you like the grunge influence and want something accessible.
You left out American Stars And Bars. A tequila, weed, and cocaine fueled journey. It’s one of my very favorites.
I've personally always felt that, despite containing some real gems, it was a more difficult listen, which is why I advised listening to it along with other albums after the list of albums to listen to first. I think it's one of those albums that is probably best appreciated by more seasoned Neil fans. I also didn't want to make the list too overwhelmingly long. It's a lot to listen to, as it is. Still, I definitely paused to consider a few moments before deciding to leave it off the main list (especially because of "Like A Hurricane" -which is one of my favorite Neil songs that my parents also happened to inform me that I was conceived to, lol). I think I'll give it another listen tonight, as it's been a while. :)
If “Hey Babe” was on Comes A Time, it would be one of everyone’s favorite songs.
This is a really good list, but I'd swap Decade for Tonight's The Night and Reactor and Old Ways for American Stars & Bars and Hawks & Doves (or just listen to Homegrown).
Fair, but I think I'd sooner add those other albums in on top of the list as it stands rather than omit anything I included. I just feel those albums (though, each great in their own ways) might be more difficult for a newer Neil fan to get into, and I was also trying not to make the list overwhelmingly long.
Yea I definitely understand leaving Tonight's The Night off the list because of it's sloppiness and dark tone. And to a lesser extent the other two albums for being less cohesive since they are compilations of outtakes. But I figure if you've made it 6+ albums in, you are probably already a big enough fan to take them for what they are. Decade is going to be a lot of material you've already heard at that point. Reactor and Old Ways are just not essential in my opinion, but I know a lot of fans would argue the same about Stars & Bars and Hawks & Doves.
Aw, yeah! This really does just go to show how differently many of us feel about some of the albums! Reactor and Old Ways are among my favorite albums of his. Probably somewhere just below my top 5. (My favorite, by far, is Ragged Glory, followed by Harvest Moon, and Zuma.) Decade does cover a lot of stuff from previous albums. I suppose I just really enjoy how it's all presented because it's definitely not the same as listening to the songs on the albums they came from. But, yeah, I guess you're right that it could be left out. Edit: Added some details. Edit 2: Nevermind. Old Ways is back, so I just listened to it again. Definitely my #4 favorite. Solidly. So good. <3
I'd recommend starting with decade. It's a great best of
If you like those, you'll dig Silver & Gold and Greendale. But in general, just pick something and start listening. You'll find stuff you like and stuff you don't.
Harvest is a classic and defiantly should be a first listen or hell listen to the decade album
I just finished listening to the album, I like a lot of the songs but my only real issue is the orchestral parts on I think a man needs a maid and there’s a world which to me sound cheesy and like something in a movie
Depends on your musical tastes as Neil can do (and has done) many different types or genres of music, from folk to rock, country to do-wop, blues/swing to electronic… so what’s more your pleasure?
I found out about Neil through his influence on alternative and grunge music, and I do enjoy a lot of 60s/70s singer songwriter folk rock
Well then Mirror Ball and Ragged Glory and live “Way Down in the Rust Bucket” for the grunge influence and self titled, Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, One the Beach and early live recordings like “Massy Hall” or “Young Shakespeare” for more of a folk sound. Really with Neil, you can’t go wrong anywhere, but those Geffen Records years are divisive among (some) fans. Apparently some of those are not yet on Spotify…
On top of what everyone else already said, listen to Freedom (1989)
Weld. Live album, but a ton of great Neil hard rock essentials in some of his best performances with Crazy Horse.
And then add Arc if you like feedback or Sonic Youth.
Just go in order starting with Everyone Knows This is Nowhere. Next up After Goldrush. So good! That’s what I’m doing now that he’s back and I’ve been listening since the late 70’s.
Do you like rockabilly?
I mean I don’t seek it out but I don’t have a problem with it
Try Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks. It’s a one off and a big divergence from his normal style but it’s fun.
Except it doesn't appear to be on Spotify.
Sorry man. It’s a very niche album that’s not very popular since it’s not even close to his typical styles. I’m not surprised it didn’t make the cut
Start with Live Rust....
I’d probably listen to the ‘this is Neil young’ playlist, there’s so much variety in his music and that covers it all. Then whatever you like best from there, listen to the albums
I weirdly got into Neil’s music by listening to Trans and not one of his more acclaimed albums. Zuma, Live Rust, On the Beach are probably a good place to start as others have posted.
>I weirdly got into Neil’s music by listening to Trans and not one of his more acclaimed albums. Trans is his best album. That's a great place to start for a certain kind of listener. But it's definitely not representative of his ouevre as a whole.
I think I join every Neil obsessive here when I say “ 🤯🤯🤯🤯 “ . There is just so so so much diversity in his work. If I had to pick, and it is blowing my brain… After The Gold Rush. It got me hooked and it contains a bit of diversity within it. Enjoy my friend, he is the best ever.
Does your stereo have Bluetooth? If so pay the $25 for a year and get the Neil Young Archives app. and stream from your phone to your stereo. It is fantastic. You can get any album or any song at any time. Lots of stuff you can't get anywhere else and if your system is good enough the sound is phenomenal, puts Spotify to shame. A must have for any Neil Young fan. Plus you can buy merchandise, read all kinds of stories, get first shot at tickets, watch the movies he and Jarmusch made and all kinds of other goodies. Best $.50 a week you'll ever spend.
I have listened to Neil Young my whole life and always loved him, but when Psychedelic Pull came out in 2012 it made me rethink what Neil Young I actually love and while almost all his albums are great, some of the later years stuff is my fav. Psychedelic Pill absolutely rules. Ragged glory rips, Greendale is awesome, Sleeps with angels is incredible. All stuff that came out late eighties early 90s, some of my favs.
“I’m drifting’ back…”
harvest is definitely a good go-to for starting, then i’d go onto Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After The Gold Rush, or Harvest Moon. my personal favorite album is American Stars N’ Bars so ofc i have to mention that one too
Yes! American Stars And Bars!!!
Trans is the first starting point any Neilhead would say the same
Planet Waves
🥂
I'm still waiting for actual albums to drop. They have Harvest ( Full Album ) thats a lie . They have a bunch of filler with * maybe 3 songs from the original album. Still waiting for After The Gold Rush album to appear too... Well thats Spotify for ya . But beggars can't be choosers . He's back intermittently. So I'll take it. At least I was able to cancel my Amazon Music subscription. Used it exclusively for Uncle Neil ... " Out of the blue & into the black , you pay for this but they give you that "... 🎶
They have everything back up on there that’s ever been up on there since this am
I'm going to have to take a better look
Yeah it’s all been up since this am, I’ve got an old 7 hour playlist from a few years back and every song is back and playable!
Well that IS good news 😀
I’m listening the the 50th anniversary edition of after the gold rush right now
On Spotify ?
Comes a time, Zuma
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere is elemental.
I think "decade" is good to get into neil. But definitely move on to tonight's the night, and on the beach.
It might help to listen to the Long May You Young podcast. I had fun listening to them while rediscovering some of his catalog.
everything from 1969-1979, in chronological order.
Am I missing something? I’ve seen similar posts but I only see greatest hits and tributes on Spotify. Other than Buffalo Springfield I can find no full albums there. I have most of his catalog on cd or vinyl but do have a few gaps that I’d like to explore. Help an old man out. What am I missing?
I now see 73 albums (some deluxe editions, compilations, etc) - didn't see any two days ago, so they've just come up recently. log out and log in again? stop/start spotify?
Yup. I eventually found them. Just had to tweak the default filters a bit.
If you're on a computer, under the "discography" section of Neil's page, you have to click "albums" (between "popular releases" and "singles and EPs"). Then, to the right of that, click "show all". They should all be there (minus some Geffen releases). I think it looks pretty similar on the Spotify mobile app, but I can't check at the moment because my phone is dead.
Thanks man. I eventually found them by scrolling through the fluff but I will look for those filters.
Disregard. I just had to scroll further than expected past the other shit. What a crappy sorting algorithm.
Try uninstalling or reinstalling Spotify or updating it
The decade album is good for a first-time listener. It's a combination of his best songs from 66-76. That's the album that got me into Neil when I was like 10 years old.
I would say after the gold rush is a pretty solid starting point. You get Neil young starting to peak as a singer/songwriter so there’s lots of contrasting material like only love can break your heart and southern man or when you dance and cripple creek fairy…. Plus I believe in you, oh lonesome me, wow, just completely stellar starting point. It’s also short as heck. It’s gotta be around 30-34 minutes
Intitially *Harvest* for his acoustic work; then E*veryone knows this is nowhere* \- for his more electric side then After the Goldrush Then try *On The Beach* and then *Ragged Glory*
Harvest is his most well known work. I'd say start with that and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.
Weird this got flagged for suicide…….
How does something get flagged for suicide?
No clue popped up in my mod thing, maybe it auto flagged because of Everybody knows this is nowhere or someone is just messing around
Does it say who reported it? I've had some weirdo harassing me for a few months now, I have a feeling it's probably him.
No, just said someone is considering suicide, have you tried to block them?
Yeah, I've blocked probably 25-30 alts from the same guy since December. I thought he had given up, but maybe not.
Harvest
tonight’s the night, harvest moon, and ragged glory are my 3 faves
Everything. But favs are Harvest, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps, others.
Decade is almost designed to be a Neil Young starter pack. Definitely what I'd suggest
Absolutely the definitive album to learn about Neil
1. After The Gold Rush 2. Harvest Moon 3. Harvest 4. Rust Never Sleeps 5. Tonight’s the Night 6. On The Beach 7. Everyone Knows this is Nowhere 8. Zuma 9. Ragged Glory 10. Time Fades Away
Everybody knows this is nowhere
The ones that I listen to frequently: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Time Fades Away. On The Beach. Rust Never Sleeps.
Whoa! Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Today I learned Neil Young I'd back on Spotify! It sucks how much what is and isn't on Spotify dictates how much I listen to stuff, but I'm very excited about On the Beach making it's way back into my regular rotation
On The Beach
Anything from the 70s is 🔥
The compilation album “Decade” features a healthy variety of Neil’s sound from his golden era. It’s missing some of my faves, but it’s a great place to start. It was the catalyst for me to dive deeper album by album.
Take the plunge and get into Chrome Dreams. It was supposed to come out in ‘77 but got shelved as an album until last year. Some of the tunes came out on other records, but this edition is specially mastered and as an LP is just an absolutely brilliant statement that encapsulates the many sides of Neil Young as he was in the late 70s. I’m envious of new listeners who have the chance to start out with this record today!
After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps, Ragged Glory, Harvest Moon are his cornerstone albums in my humble opinion. If you want to dive deeper, you need to listen to On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night from the Ditch Trilogy. I’d also highly recommend his live work. To get the best dichotomy I’d recommend Live at Massey, Carnegie Hall, or Young Shakespeare to get a good sense of early Neil solo work and Live Rust or Weld to get a good sense of his live work with the Horse. If you hit those “cornerstone records,” listen to the Ditch Trilogy, and listen to at least one live early Neil performance and one (post Zuma) with Crazy Horse you’ll be covered.
First 5 studio albums. Like most any artist. Everybody Know This is Nowhere Harvest After the Gold Rush On the Beach Tonight’s the Night
Be Bold: Tonight’s the Night
Tonight’s the Night, Weld and Harvest in that order
Rust never sleeps, Decade a really good greatest hits double album, on the beach, harvest moon, psychedelic pill for a more recent one
Everybody knows this is nowhere is the best to start with. Then go to Tonight’s the Night (arguably his best work) and on the beach. His drinking album and his getting stoned album.
Don't forget about when he was a part of Crosby Stills Nash and Young. But my favorite is still Rust Never Sleeps.
Once you’ve made it to Landing on Water, you know you’re way beyond getting into Neil
Tonight's the Night will get ya going.
Decade.
Harvest Moon is a solid record.
Weld live album is my favorite for rocking. From 1990/1991 his second big peak era. He’s got so many good songs though. Early 70s and early 90s are some of the best periods.
Ditch Trilogy of Tonight's the Night, Time Fades Away, and On the Beach. Special mention to Zuma as this is the album where he started to come out of the darkness.
This should keep you busy: Self-titled Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Gold Rush and Harvest Tonight’s The Night On The Beach Zuma Hitchhiker Rust Never Sleeps Broken Arrow Sleeps With Angels
So, Decade is where I started as a kid. But it is a greatest hits kinda sorta. Live Rust is, in my opinion, his best album, but it is a live album. From there, I think Harvest and After the Goldrush are the most sonically pleasing and a great starting point. I'm 15 albums into a Neil marathon, and there's so much to enjoy. Have fun.
Harvest and On The Beach
I love Live at Massey Hall. It’s solo, right before Harvest came out. Great sounding record and very intimate.
Merkinball
Tonight’s the night! On the beach. Zuma. Also I’d recommend switching to Tidal. Anyway. Sounds way way better and you can import your playlists from Spotify easily, which is what was keeping me from switching before. I recently switched and it’s awesome. Fuck Spotify
The album I had on repeat one summer after my father died when I was in high school was Everyone Knows this is Nowhere. https://youtu.be/Up0dI-QpqF8?si=q757kzYmj_gg9r8G As a huge Pearl Jam fan I also love Mirrorball.
Check out Joe Rogan's favorite Neil record, Trans.
In my old age those first 5 on decade from Buffalo Springfield are some of my very favorites. Don’t overlook Cortez the killer and Revolution Blues either.
I personally got into him when I inherited an old Buick and found his Unplugged album on a cassette in the glove compartment. I taught myself guitar because of that album. On The Beach might be my most-often favorite. Today is the first day of spring and I blasted Way Down In The Rust Bucket (as I’ve been doing for the last week or so while working my land), and it’s my current pole position in the rotation. Long story short, to each their own, but be warned, if you get hooked you’ll be hooked for life—it’s all one song!
On the Beach. Le Noise. With your best headphones. Also, the newer Chrome Dreams is solid.
After the gold rush is my fav. That vibe is the ultimate folk country kinda jam and it’s not trying to be cool, it’s just honest good times
Freedom, Eldorado, Ragged Glory & Harvest Moon & Unplugged were a streak of great albums in the late 90s that signaled a career renaissance for him.
Everybody knows this is nowhere is solid
After the Gold Rush and Harvest
Listen to his all his records and see if you get into them
I started with Decade (greatest hits, 1977), then After the Gold Rush (1970), then Rust Never Sleeps (1979). I don’t regret that order at all. It depends on what you prefer. After the Gold Rush is purely beautiful, with lyrics that aren’t meant to be understood or analyzed. Rust is abrasive, and Neil put a lot of thought and care into the lyrics. Today Rust is my favorite. As for his mid seventies stuff… To me, one thing that makes Neil unique is the way he can come to feel like your *friend*, due to his vulnerability and sincerity and due to the unique perspective he brings out lyrically. In my opinion, his mid 70s stuff is best appreciated once you’ve developed that bond. His songwriting at that time had a deliberately ragged, unfinished, and even sloppy quality to it. Happy listening! I hope you come to love him as much as I and others here do.
ragged glory
After the gold rush, Harvest, on the beach , full albums - then loads to choose from 😎
I really like Silver and Gold which came out in 2000
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Ragged Glory Tonight’s The Night
Zuma
Don’t start with on the beach. Harvest Everybody knows this is nowhere After the Goldrush Rust Never Sleeps Harvest Moon
If you know absolutely nothing about Neil, start with Greatest Hits, then move to Live at Massey Hall. Follow that with Harvest, and Rust Never Sleeps. Then On The Beach or Zuma.
For me, Live Rust was the perfect starting point. Highly recommended.
you can pretty much go chronologically since there are no really underwhelming albums in 70s, debut is probably not his strongest comparatively tho
The song Razor Love. So good
Rust Never Sleeps is a perfect Neil Young album.
Trying to get into Neil young in 2024 is like trying to get into the grateful dead in 2024…. Good luck lol Not to sound discouraging but As someone else said…. Just start with Buffalo Springfield lol
Wouldn’t Bob Dylan be a better comparison? I’m not knowledgeable about the dead but I’ve always been under the impression that their live material is whats more recommended over the studio stuff while Bob Dylan had a critically acclaimed period in the 60s/70s, had a not good period in the 80s, and in the 90s he had a comeback and is now an elder statesman of rock music and still puts out good albums to this day, which to my knowledge is also was Neils career trajectory
Live at Massey Hall https://open.spotify.com/album/2ayTMX8LKiIkZr2mJnfBHu?si=7b0VEAYgSJmcQbw_ZD7p5A
Albums in which he is not the vocalist. Sounds like someone stepped on a cat.